Even with the support of family and friends, the days following a truck accident can be traumatic. The damage a heavy-duty vehicle can do to a passenger car or motorcycle leaves victims with severe, permanent, or even fatal injuries. What’s worse is that insurance companies try to rush truck accident victims into quick settlements, leaving victims with less money than they deserve.
If you or a loved one suffered injuries in a truck accident, you might not know what steps to take next. In addition to grieving unprecedented losses, there are bills to pay and an uncertain future to figure out. If the negligence of another party or parties has disrupted your life by causing this accident, substantial compensation may be available to you. We offer free claim reviews to truck crash victims.
Our Loudoun County, VA truck accident lawyers will talk with you about your accident, answer your questions, and discuss what types of compensation may be available to you. Whether you retain us or not, we hope to provide you with the guidance you need at this critical time. Call us to schedule your FREE claim review.
We Maximize Your Compensation by Working Hard to Prove Causation in the Loudoun County, VA Trucking Accident
In all personal injury claims, including truck accident claims, the victim must prove that another party was at fault. Even if the facts of your accident are cut-and-dry, you cannot be sure the other party won’t dispute fault.This is especially true in Virginia.
Virginia is a contributory negligence state. This means that victims are barred from recovering damages for an accident if they were partially responsible for the accident. To prove negligence and claim compensation, truck accident victims in Loudoun County, VA, must prove that another person or company acted negligently.
A truck accident attorney in Loudoun County, VA can help determine fault and settle disputes with the insurance companies. It’s important to remember that insurance companies have deep pockets and lots of lawyers. If there’s any question of who was at-fault for an accident, you will want an attorney to help you with your claim.
What Are the Critical Events and Critical Reasons for a Big Rig Truck Accident?
When we determine the cause of a commercial truck crash in Loudoun County, we break the accident down into two parts: a critical event and a critical reason.
- A critical event is a factor that immediately led to the crash or made the accident unavoidable.
- A critical reason is an underlying explanation of why the crash happened. These reasons can include a poor driver decision, a vehicle failure, environmental conditions, or other factors.
What Attorneys Do for Loudoun County, VA Truck Accident Cases
When our Loudoun County, VA, truck accident lawyers take on a truck crash case, we conduct a thorough investigation into the accident. We build a case against a truck driver or company in the following steps:
- Sending the trucking company carefully worded requests for information, beginning with a request to protect electronically stored information
- Conducting interviews and potential depositions of law enforcement agencies, hospital staff, physicians, medical examiners, coroners, tow yard operators, and others involved in the crash or your treatment
- Analyzing available crash causation data, such as electronic logging devices (ELDs)
- Scrutinizing maintenance and personnel records from the trucking company, which may provide some incriminating data
- Determining if the trucking company or driver broke any federal regulations and state laws
- Determining if a driver’s pre-crash movement or a mandatory freight schedule did not account for environmental conditions like rain, snow, or fog
Our Loudoun County, VA Truck Accident Lawyers Will Work to Uncover All Culpable Parties
When we determine who is liable for your losses in Loudoun County, VA, we start with the ownership of the truck. Whether the truck was owner-operated, employee-driven, trip-leased, or operating under some other arrangement is an important fact. In many of these cases, a large trucking company is responsible for the losses that result from an accident.
In some instances, there may be liability on the part of the truck’s cargo owner, a broker, or another party responsible for shipping. In some cases, it may also be possible to sue a part manufacturer or the company responsible for the truck’s maintenance and repairs.
It is also possible that a government body responsible for caring for the road where the crash happened could be liable. Another motorist or road user, such as a motorcyclist, could be responsible for the crash. Our truck accident attorney serving Loudoun County will review your accident and determine who owes you compensation. The Parrish Law Firm, PLLC, will use every available resource to uncover the responsible party for your crash.
Our Loudoun County Truck Accident Attorney Will Aim to Prove Your Full Range of Damages
If there is proof of liability in the accident, you are eligible to receive monetary compensation for your damages. Your damages are the losses you have suffered due to the crash. These compensatory damages can be economic (financial) or non-economic (non-financial).
Economic Damages
These are expenses you have incurred or are reasonably certain to incur in the future. Some examples of economic damages are:
- Hospitalization and surgical expenses
- Facility-based care or home health care
- Physical, vocational, or occupational therapy
- Mental health counseling
- Pain management expenses
- Lost income
- Final medical expenses
- Funeral, burial, or cremation expenses (Our Loudoun County wrongful death lawyer can help you pursue legal action against the liable party.)
Non-Economic Damages
While non-economic damages might not have directly affected your financial situation, they are a very important factor in your case. These may include pain and suffering, loss of enjoyment of life, and inconvenience.
Some Virginia Truck Accident Cases Also Qualify for Punitive Damages
The goal of the compensatory damages described above is to compensate a victim. Unlike compensatory damages, punitive damages punish the offending parties.
Punitive damages are uncommon, but they are available in extreme cases where the wrongdoer engaged in actions that were particularly egregious. This would include conduct that was purposeful or extremely reckless, such as in the case of an intoxicated driver.
What to Do After a Big Rig Truck Accident in Loudoun County, VA
The first thing you should do after a big rig truck accident in Loudoun County is to make sure you and your passengers are OK. You should call for emergency medical help immediately. Report the accident to 911 so that medical personnel can come out to the accident scene as well as the police.
You should allow first responders to examine you, even if you feel like you suffered no serious injuries. Not all injuries show up right away, so a medical exam can help you know what to look out for should you experience a change in your condition. You should also do the following:
- Get a copy of the police report, which includes the details of the crash, including what happened and who was involved
- Exchange information with the other party, such as their name, driver’s license, insurance information, and license plate information
- Keep your conversations with the other driver(s) to a minimum. Avoid discussing fault and do not sign anything.
- If you can, take photos and video footage of the truck accident scene in Loudoun County. You can document your injuries and other details that can help you prove your case, such as the truck’s make, model, year, and cargo details (if applicable)
- Call your insurance company and report the accident promptly. Stick to the basics. You can mention that you are receiving medical care. An injury attorney can talk to the insurance company for you, answering its questions and handling settlement talks.
- Call a personal injury lawyer that can manage your entire truck accident case.
Speak to a Loudoun County, VA Truck Accident Lawyer Before You Lose Valuable Time
Although there is a risk in choosing the wrong attorney, there are also risks in waiting too long to pursue your case. Under the Virginia statute of limitations, you only have two years to file a lawsuit after a truck crash. Even if you are still within the statute of limitations, waiting too long to take legal action can cause problems such as:
- Diminishing availability of crash data from the trucking company
- Fading of witnesses’ memories
- Unavailability of witnesses altogether
- Changes to the roadway or landscape where the accident occurred
- A delay in receiving financial help, resulting in additional stress and possible credit problems
The legal team at the Parrish Law Firm, PLLC, can get started on your truck accident case right away. Our injury attorney Jim Parrish, a former defense attorney for the insurance industry, helps trucking accident victims pursue fair compensation for their damages and losses. To date, Parrish and his team have recovered more than $30 million for accident victims in Virginia, and they want to help you. To set up your free claim review, call today.